The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-05-14

ideal drama performed by an ideal COM
pany, with ideal scenery and stage appoint
tnents, Of which the poet may have
dreamed, but Which he never expected to
see realized this side of the Golden Gates
AIr. Mackeye succeeded in nfusing his en-
thusihsm into number Of gentlemen, who
were blessed with more lucre than practi-
cal knowledge of the drama; and when in
addition to its other advantages. It was
known that Il was to be a school for the
manufacture Of factors, subscriptions poured
in, the ground was bought, the theater was
built and fully equipped, and was thrown
open to the public two years ago. We
have had many conspicuous failures in
various branches of art and business, but
hardly anything more marked and calamit-
Gus than the failure of the Lyceum. IL
involved everybody chat had anything to do
with H., and last was closed out under
the hammer. RecoRect that this failure
was made in new theater,' having every
appliance That modem art or genius could
suggest, backed'by the best company that
money could procure, and having in its d.
rection a gentleman who prtded himself on
his plRasge1nsat, and whose clientele
numbered. sosS Of the most "aristocratic
people in New York. The place was closed
In disgrace; A decided and an absolute fail
ure, It. was In this state Of affairs that
Helen Duyary, whose engagement has Just
closed. assumed tthe management, ane
opened the theatef a year ago, with ''one
Of Our GIrls.n Mrs Dayary was compar-
aliyely VHknowAltn New York, and had
had veryli little otcno exp pertence in Metro.
politan management. THAT she would last
longer than aweek era fortnight at most
nobody dreamed, and there were plenty OF
croakers yhe thonght her FIRST night might
possibly be her last. The critics Of our
great metropolitan journals looked with
cold indifference on the western stranger,
and whether she sank or Swan was mat
ter not OF the slightest consequence. II
anybody thinks it is an easy thing to sue
coed In New York, let hfni try 1t. At
Wallack's this season, theater filed with
magnificent actors and actresses, having
the finest scenery, the ablest and most ex-
perienced management. the most popular
situation, and the most aristocratic sup
port, with. al these advantages is has not
made dollar. and IL has closed its season
with depleted treasury, which has so dis
heartened Mr.. Wallack that he retires per-
manentlv from theatrical management. l
mention this to show the difficulty that this
young an comparatively inexperienced girl
had to face.
With splendidly appointed theat ers all
around her, having companies the pick Of
the theatrical profession, she commenced
her Metropolitan career, and from The hour
the Lyceum opened its doors till the close
of the last season, she played to audiences
only gauged by the capacity of the house.
Such phenomenal success has rarely been
seen here, and this season has confirmed
her as a standing Metropolitan tayorite.
Early this season she produced, at great
expense, piece written expressly for her
by Bronson Howard-"WeM Met by Chance"
She was quick to perceive that IL was not
success. Without moments hesitation
1t was withdrawn. Then came the aues-
tionable experiment of producing two
pieces already familiar to the New York
public-"A Scrap of Paper'' and "Masks
and Faces" To have made these two old
pieces grand successes, when Wallack, with
his splendid company and new piece was
playing to dead loss, is one Of those
phenomenal things in dramatics that we
sometimes read about but seldom see.
Then with daring almost without parallel
she produced "The Love Chase" comedy
which was supposed to worn out quarter
of a century ago, but in spite Of all prog
nostics of failure she closed her season tri!
umphantly; on her last appearance the
house being crowded to suffocation. The
success of this young American girl is due
fully as much to persistent energy as gen
ius, and she herself is living illustration
of what One of Our Girls can do.
Sunday was terror; the day was beau
iiful but such thirsty crowd has not been
seen for years. No lager, no schnapps, no
nothing; curses loud and deep and threats
of new party with free lager for its mot
TO. All of the disreputabe dives are closed
and their denizens driven out. For this all
thanks and praise. BROADBRIM.